Welcome

ERASMUS SMITH SCHOOLS ARCHIVE

THE GOVERNORS of the SCHOOLS FOUNDED by ERASMUS SMITH Esq

“We have also directed your Agent to buy an Iron Chest to be in the custody of your Treasurer, and that the Charter Pattent, leases, Bookes, accompts and papers belonging to you, be from time to time locked in that chest; and to be delivered to the Treasurers Custody by Inventory or schedule, to be entred by him, and a duplicate thereof kept by him, and by them to be delivered over from time to time, when transferred from one Treasurer to another.”

Minutes of The Board of Governors24 February 1678

The Erasmus Smith Schools Archive is a unique archive in areas of Irish Education History and Land History.

New Site New Name

This website and email contacts have recently changed so please note these in your bookmarks and contact lists. As you can see the name of the organisation has shifted from Trust to Schools. After a recent legal review of the charity it was felt that the existing name did not reflect the workings of the organisation or how it is referred to in legal papers.

There has never been an entity legally called ‘The Erasmus Smith Trust’ and equally ‘The Governors of the Schools founded by Erasmus Smith Esquire’ is a cumbersome and unclear. To better reflect existing legal terminology, the ‘1938 Erasmus Smith Schools Act’ was taken as the best place to start. The Trust will therefore be known as “Erasmus Smith Schools” which also connects better with how the former schools were always known locally. The word ‘Trust’ will not disappear of course as it is on the crest motto “We Are Faithful to Our Trust”.

Research

This newer version of the web site will build on existing on-line resources to act as finding aids for our holdings and will be augmented in the coming year with a Board of Governors Register index and English School Master’s Report database.

Previous finding aids will also be upgraded which include the Google Maps of former schools in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and a listing of former Schools with a brief summary of their history.

“Faithful to Our Trust, a History of the Erasmus Smith Trust and The High School Dublin” by WJR Wallace is still unavailable for sale but can be downloaded as a free PDF: Faithful to Our Trust book text.

In this decade of commemorations the Archive is undertaking an extensive research project into The High School, Dublin pupils who served in the Great War. Working with transition year students and English teacher Michelle Burrows information is being complied on a blog, drawing on many research sources, see www.hsdwarstories.com

Access

Researchers are invited to come to the Archive facility to conduct primary research. Access is strictly by appointment only. Hours of access are Monday to Wednesday 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. There is no charge for access although fees can apply to requests by email or post. The Archive is located on the grounds of The High School, Dublin.